‘Assassination of the Pharaoh’ not Iran’s official stance Tehran Times Political Desk

TEHRAN – An informed official at the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said the Iranian movie praising the assassin of late Egyptian president does not represent Tehran’s official stance.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry on Monday summoned the head of the Iranian representation in Cairo to protest a documentary film called “Assassination of the Pharaoh” which glorified the killer of late Egyptian president Anwar Sadat.

In 1981, Sadat was assassinated by Khaled al-Islamboli during the annual military parade on the anniversary of the October war against Israel.

Islamboli shouted “death to the Pharaoh” as he ran to shoot Sadat, hence the name of the Iranian film.

“The documentary has been produced by a private organization… and does not represent Iran’s official stance,” the official, who requested anonymity, told the Mehr News Agency.

Given the freedom of speech in Iran, private organizations do not necessarily speak for the government on different issues, he stated.

He asserted that Iranian leaders are determined to expand brotherly relations with Egypt based on mutual respect